Teeth can break for several reasons: trauma, decay and heavy use are all fairly common causes. Depending on the reason for the break and its severity, treatment can vary widely. Below, we discuss some of the potential options for each situation.
Trauma – The most common reason for a front tooth to break is trauma. If a patient gets hit in the face by a ball (or, in Dr. Hudson’s case, a rock, a knee, a swimming pool, a headbutt from his 3 year old…he should probably just wear a mouthguard all the time), front teeth can break easily. When something strikes a patient in their front teeth with a solid object, breaking one or more teeth is not surprising. For smaller fractures, the tooth can often be repaired with a composite filling. For more severe breaks, root canals or crowns may be necessary. If you are able to find the broken piece, try to bring it with you to your appointment. It cannot be reattached, but we may be able to use your old tooth as a temporary replacement until a permanent one can be fabricated.
Tooth Knocked Out – If you have recently had your tooth knocked out, please call our office immediately. If you are able to locate the tooth, rinse it off with warm water and gently place the tooth back in its socket, then report immediately to our office. At Ease Dental can sometimes save teeth that have been entirely knocked out.
If the teeth were not completely knocked out, but are still displaced, still report to our office immediately. Time is often of the essence, and quick treatment leads to better outcomes. Either way, displaced or avulsed (knocked out) teeth can be a sign of more severe trauma that should be screened for, like a broken jaw. Call At Ease Dental at (479) 553-9225 if your tooth has been displaced or knocked out.
Decay – Teeth suffering from active decay are more prone to breaking. Decay weakens the enamel and dentin, which means that something as hard as almonds to as soft as bread can cause breakage. When teeth reach this point, they typically will require a root canal to save the tooth or an extraction if the tooth is not salvageable.
Heavy use – Whether it is grinding your teeth at night, clenching during the day or using your teeth for something that they were not designed for (like eating ice, biting fishing string, etc), such heavy use can result in a broken tooth. The easiest way to tell if it is a break due to use or decay is by the color of the remaining tooth structure. A tooth broken due to heavy use will have a nice yellow color to it. If it is stained brown or black, it probably broke due to decay. The difficult aspect of breakage due to heavy use is that it will probably happen again to another tooth. Resolving the underlying cause is essential to preventing future breakage.
No matter the reason, At Ease Dental will be able to figure out what happened and why, as well as suggest solutions that are personalized to fit your needs. Call us today at (479) 553-9225 to see what we can do to help you fix that broken tooth.